View Profile Page
Stephen Coffin
Adjunct Professor, Educational Leadership, College for Education and Engaged Learning
- Office:
- University Hall 3162
- Email:
- coffins@montclair.edu
- Phone:
- 973-655-7216
- vCard:
- Download vCard
Profile
I apply my expertise, research, and experience in teaching School Finance and Higher Education Finance and Economics.
My students develop an understanding of how the economic environment, sound budgeting, financial management; personnel, facilities, and enrollment forecasting and management impact the provision of a top-quality, equitable education for students regardless of who they are or where they attend school or college.
The major components undergirding this organizing principle include but are not limited to Developing sound budgets and budgetary processes; Understanding how to properly close budget deficits; Understanding operating and capital budgets; Forecasting and Managing Enrollment levels and the student mix; Expanding and managing major revenue sources; Managing bonds and indebtedness; Understanding major expenditure categories; Estimating and Allocating Property Tax Revenues; Sound endowment management and sustainability; Maximizing state and federal aid; Applying scale economies; and Understanding state education formula-based inequities, as well as how to achieve public support for the public funding of education and improve on students’ educations’ Return-On-Investment (ROI).
Despite decades of litigation, studies, and reform little has changed to cut the Gordian knot that prevents human, material, and financial resource equity and equal educational opportunity for education. Therefore, education must develop new business, operating, and educational models to survive, provide universal quality education, and achieve educational resource equity as well as equal educational opportunity.
However, powerful exogenous factors contextualize higher education’s financial, economic, operational, and educational challenges in an era of scarce financial, material, and human resources as well as declining enrollment and a changing mix of students nationwide. Therefore, education must adapt its business, operating, and educational models to successfully address the major exigencies that impact the provision of a quality education.
Specialization
Expert in School Finance, and Higher Education Finance and Economics. Expertise K-16: Budgeting, Closing Budget Deficits; Enrollment and Enrollment Mix Forecasting and Management; Developing Action Plans for K-16 sustainability; Revenue Origination, Estimating, and Forecasting; Financial and operational management, monitoring, and controls; Risk Management; Quantitative Methods; Forensic financial, accounting, auditing, and operational analysis; Curriculum Development for Master's and Doctoral programs.